Extreme Needs
by The Masked MiSTier
Summary: Buffy gets sucked ito Hell as a prize for the winner of a demon tournament, and only one man can help her now. Very action oriented! Please R & R!


Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy. Nuff said. The Scorpion is my online wrestler creation, not  
the dude from Mortal Kombat. If you want to learn more about The Scorpion, I'm currently in  
the Global Wrestling Federation online fed. Which can be found at:  
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/PeterAbram/efed.html  
We're always looking for new members.  
  
Buffy The Vampire Slayer -  
Extreme Needs  
  
A dark room. The only light is from a small hanging lamp over a round table. Sitting around   
the table are a group of demons. They are wearing Armani suits, and smoking cigars. The light   
and the smoke are the only colors in the otherwise inky blackness of the room. The darkness is   
so deep that no walls or door can be made out. Neither can their faces.  
  
Armando was a dark grey scaled reptile like demon, with small horns growing down his back, and   
two on the top of his bald, grey head, and one on the back of each of his hands. His finger   
nails were long, and sharp, like claws. His face was human like, and white, as were his palms,   
and down the inside of his arms and his sides. His eyes were like coal, and glowed red. He   
wore the blue suit, and was the man of most importance.  
  
Decious was a pukish yellow demon, with 4 eyes circling its head, each a different color:   
black, red, violet, and yellow. He had a horn between each eye, each horn matched the color of   
the eye. He had huge slimy body with no feet and 1 arm, which ended in a metal prosthetic hand.  
He moved with his one arm as his leg, and was large enough to sit on the floor and still tower   
over the group. He wore a dark red suit.  
  
Quarnetes was was covered in golden fur from head to toe. He was massive. His arms and legs   
were muscled very well. His eyes were dark, and beady. He had very sharp teeth, and long   
canines used for ripping meat. He wore the dark green suit.  
  
Melini was a human female. She had deep black hair, and red eyes. She was lean, her skin a   
dark tan. She wore a black suit coat, white blouse, and short black skirt. The blouse was   
partially unbuttoned.  
  
"So," Armando said, leaning over the table and folding his hands on the bronzed wood. "Have   
you decided on a soul?  
  
"Yes Armando," Melini answered. "We have each chosen a candidate, but I believe mine will be   
weaker and more easily broken than the rest." She handed over a manilla folder, containing a   
dossier. Armando took it, and opened it. Inside was a picture paper clipped to a profile on   
Buffy Summers. Armando flipped through the dossier.  
  
"She is the one."  
  
Quarnetes growled in surprised. "But Armando, she is a vampire slayer. She has killed many of   
our kind!"  
  
"And so she will be easily broken. When she discovers that together we are more powerful than   
she, she will submit to our will," A gastly grin broke over Armando's face. "She will break   
lady and gentlemen. And so she shall be our prize for this very tournament."  
  
Decious made a squishing, sucking noise. It was the noise he made when he had a brilliant   
idea. "And the winner of her soul shall be powerful enough to join us."  
  
"I wouldn't be so sure. The winner of this tournament shall get her soul, but we will have to   
make sure he, or she, doesn't decide to return as a slayer," Armando said.  
  
"An excellent idea," Melini said.  
  
Armando looked at Decious. "Decious, I want you to retrieve her. Quarnetes, I want you to   
organize the players. The tournament shall begin."  
  
------  
  
Sunnydale University campus. It's a beautiful morning in Sunnydale, California. In the   
cafetria. Buffy sits down at a table next to Willow Rosenberg and Alexander "Xander" Harris.   
She drops her tray wearily on the table. She looks tired.  
  
"Tough night?" Xander asked, leaning forward.  
  
Buffy stared blankly at her lunch. "God, the stupid zombie kept me up till 3, and I still had   
to finish my history homework."  
  
"I wondered where you were," Willow said.  
  
"I swear I'm getting sick of all this. I probably failed my Trig. exam." she leaned forward   
on the table, resting her elbows on the table and her head in her hands.  
  
"Oh crap, I forgot about that," Xander said.  
  
"Just use a good calculator," Willow said. "Like the one that stores all the information."  
  
"Isn't that cheating?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Only if you don't get caught," Willow answered with a smile.  
  
Buffy just yawned.  
  
"Walsh is a pain in the ass isn't she?" Xander asked.  
  
"She's nice, but a little insensitive," Willow answered.  
  
"And her classes are boring," was Buffy's reply  
  
"Yeah, that too," Willow agreed.  
  
"Well, if you're up to it, we can always go catch the Godzilla movie at the drive in," Xander   
said hopefully.  
  
"I'm so tired, I could go to sleep right now," she yawned, obviously not hearing Xander. "What   
was that Xander?"  
  
"To put it simply: drive in, you, me, Willow, and Godzilla?"  
  
"Oh good. Godzilla always puts me to sleep," Buffy put her head on her arms and dozed off, but   
is awakened when someone screamed from the center of the cafetria. Buffy shot up, and ran over,  
followed by Xander and Willow. Buffy pushed her way through the crowd. Xander and Willow   
followed. In the center, on the floor, is a blood red portal. The portal is a spiral, with a   
design that looks like random blood pictures.  
  
"What is it?" Willow asked.  
  
"I don't know," Buffy said.  
  
"Maybe it's the Sliders," Xander said.  
  
That's when two blood red tentacles appeared in the center of the portal. They lashed out,   
grabbing Buffy around the legs and waist. She screamed, and struggled against them, but they   
held tight. The crowd of college students screamed and backed away, afraid of getting grabbed.  
  
"Buffy!" Willow shouted.  
  
"Xander! Help me!"  
  
Xander grabed Buffy's wrist, and tried to pull her out of the tentacles' grasp. The tentacles   
began to pull Buffy into the swirling pit. Xander pulled hard, but the tentacles pulled harder.  
  
"Don't let go!" Buffy pleaded, trying to wriggle out of the grasp.  
  
"I don't know how much longer I can hold on!" Buffy's wrists slipped from his grip. "Buffy!"  
  
The tentacles and Buffy disappear into the portal. Xander leaps in after them.  
  
"Xander no!"  
  
The portal disappears, and with it, Xander and Buffy.  
  
------  
  
OPENING CREDITS  
Starring  
Sarah Michelle GellarBuffy Summers  
David BoreanazAngel  
Alyson HanniganWillow Rosenberg  
Nicholas BrendanXander Harris  
Anthony Stewart HeadRupert Giles  
James MarstersSpike  
Charisma CarpenterCordelia Chase  
Seth GreenOz  
Marc BlucasRiley Finn  
Eliza DushkuFaith  
Emma CaulfieldAnya  
Kristin SutherlandJoyce Summers  
  
GUEST STARRING  
The Scorpionhimself  
  
------  
  
Willow rushed into the library at the high school. Rupert Giles is sitting at his desk, trying   
to eat and do research at the same time.  
  
"Giles!" Willow shouted. "Giles!"  
  
Giles stands and walks out of his office, half a ham sandwich in his hand. "What is it Willow?   
What... What's wrong?"  
  
"Buffy and Xander got pulled through this... this gate, and into.... well, I don't know where,   
all I know is they disappeared and I don't know where they went and I need your help!" Willow   
cried.  
  
"Slow down Willow," Giles said. "Come on, let's go find the others, and we'll try to find out   
where they went and if we can get them home or not." He put down his sandwich.  
  
"I suppose so. Let's go! The sooner we do, the sooner we get them home!"  
  
------  
  
Buffy landed with a thud on her feet on a red concrete floor. She looked up just in time to   
see Xander come barreling out of the opening and slam into the opposite wall. He fell on his   
butt with a thud, and Buffy ran over to him. He shook his head and looked around.  
  
"So where are we?"  
  
The walls were covered with portraits of various demons, each of them massive hulks, and   
incredibly vicious looking. Next to where Buffy had landed was a stone statue of another   
demon. The name ARMANDO was on the plaque under it. Buffy looked around.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Decious, who walked by jumping on his tree-trunk sized arm, hopped up to them and landed with   
a plop next to them. "Welcome, welcome," he said to Buffy. He looked over at Xander. "Hmm.   
They didn't tell me the order was for two. Oh well."  
  
"What... what are you talking about?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yeah, where are we?"  
  
"Why, you're in Hell!" Decious answered.  
  
Buffy and Xander looked at each other. "What?!" they cried in unison.  
  
"You, Buffy, have been chosen to be the prize for the winner of our demon tournament," Decious   
explained.  
  
"Wow, I guess you really are the Chosen One, slappy," Xander said.  
  
"Shut up," Buffy said to him. She turned to Decious. "Demon tournament? Wait a minute, slow   
down here."  
  
"All will be explained. This way, this way," Decious got up on his arm and started to hop down   
the hall. Xander got to his feet and looked at Buffy.  
  
"I guess we follow him," Xander said, brushing off his pants.  
  
"I guess so."  
  
Decious looked over his shoulder. "Come on! We must not be late!"  
  
"After you," Xander said, gesturing.  
  
------  
  
Giles ran up the porch steps outside the Summers' household. He rings the doorbell and waits   
until Joyce Summers answers. "Oh, hello Mr. Giles."  
  
"Hello Mrs. Summers. Um, I need to talk to you about something," Giles said.  
  
"Is it about Buffy?"  
  
"Y..yeah.  
  
Joyce steps out onto the porch and gestures inside. "Please, come in."  
  
------  
  
Willow ran up to the Lowell frat house's front door. She could hear the loud music playing   
inside. She sighed and knocked on the door. When no one answered she knocked louder. Finally,  
she heard someone turn off the music and one of the frat boys answered.  
  
"Whoa, pretty girl knocking on the door," he said.  
  
"I'm here to see Riley," Willow told him.  
  
"Figures. He always gets the pretty ones," He turned inside the house. "RILEY!!!!! SOMEONE   
HERE TO SEE YOU!!!!"  
  
Riley Finn jogged to the door, and looked out. "Oh, hi Willow."  
  
"Riley, I need to talk to you. In private," Willow said.  
  
Riley looks at the frat boy. The frat boy shrugged, went inside, and closed the door. Riley   
and Willow start walking.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"You heard about Buffy right?"  
  
"Yeah, that portal thing right?" "  
  
"Right."  
  
What happened to her?"  
  
"I don't know. Giles is telling Joyce right now."  
  
"Okay, so what do you need me for?"  
  
"We need a lot of eyes so we can read through Giles' books and find out where Buffy and Xander   
are and to try to get them home," Willow said.  
  
"Okay, I'm in. Anything for Buffy," Riley said.  
  
"I need you to help me find Anya."  
  
"Well, last I heard, she and Xander had a fight before school," Riley said. "She ran off   
somewhere."  
  
"Then she's with Spike," Willow said. "All the more better. He has two eyes."  
  
------  
  
Anya and Spike are enjoying a few bottles of liquor in the semi-empty Bronze. No one's there   
at this time of day, and the usually noisy place is almost dead silent. They're sitting at the   
bar. Anya knocked back a shot of booze and turns to Spike.  
  
"I don't know why we fight all the time. I love him so much."  
  
"At least you have somebody," Spike said, refilling his shot glass. "Mine left me for a Chaos   
demon, of all things." Spike knocks back a glass, throws it, and drains the bottle. Willow and   
Riley run in.  
  
"Anya!"  
  
"Oh, hi Willow," Anya replied.  
  
"Did you hear about Xander?"  
  
"No," she was suddenly sober. "What happened to him? If someone hurt him I swear I'll..."  
  
"No, no, it was nothing like that," Riley said. "He jumped into some kind of portal. We don't   
know where he is."  
  
"And I never got to say good bye."  
  
"We're going over to Buffy's house to find out about it. Come on," Willow urged.  
  
"Okay," she turned to Spike. "Spike, you come too."  
  
"Fine with me. I'm out of liquor anyway," Spike said. He slipped off his stool, and stumbles   
somewhat. "Lead the way!"  
  
------  
  
Decious led Buffy and Xander into a large auditorium. The cavernous room was filled with seats,  
and the seats were filled with demons of all shapes and sizes. Decious showed Buffy and Xander   
to their seats in the front row, and then walked up onto the stage, and sat in one of the four   
chairs. Each were filled with three demons in Armani suits, and one that wore only a pair of   
trunks. The room was filled with excited conversation.  
  
"What do you think's gonna happen?" Xander whispered.  
  
"I don't care as long as we're told what's going on," Buffy replied.  
  
A sudden hush fell over everyone in the room. A spotlight came on, and illuminated the podium.   
Armando walked out from the side of the stage and up to the podium. The crowd stood up, and   
cheered, and clapped. Armando had a smile on his demonic face as he basked in the cheers.   
Xander and Buffy looked at each other quizzically. Armando finally held up his hands and the   
crowd sat in silence.  
  
"Welcome one and all to the newest demon tournament," Armando said, and the crowd cheered and   
clapped again. He waited until the applause died down before continuing. "I'm sure you will   
all enjoy the competition tonight as 63 of the finest demonic warriors go head to head in   
intense, brutal, and deadly competition. Now, as always, the compeition will be played over   
the course of today, the matches in a certain style as suggested here in a moment. The winner   
of course recieiving a prize. The prize of course, is the soul of one Buffy Anne Summers,   
sitting in the front row," He gestured to her. The crowd cheered. Buffy looked shocked.  
  
"Oh no! I'm nobody's prize! You aren't going to take my soul!" she shouted, standing.  
  
"You really have no alternatives my dear, unless of course, you find someone willing to fight   
for your soul in the tournament," Armando said calmly.  
  
Xander stood. "I'll do it!"  
  
The crowd burst out laughing. Armando wiped a tear from his eyes. "You, a human?" he laughed   
again. "How do you possibly believe that you will have any chance of winning at all. You are   
weak. Our participants would tear you apart."  
  
"No they won't, because I suggest that these matches be played out as professional wrestling   
death matches!" Xander said.  
  
The crowd stirred.  
  
Armando put his hand on his chin and thought for a moment. "Hmm. An excellent suggestion. It's   
settled then. The compeition shall be a Death Match tournament"  
  
Xander sat. Buffy sat and leaned toward him. "Are you stupid?! I believe what he's saying! You   
can't survive this!" she whispered harshly.  
  
"Relax. Everyone knows pro wrestling is fake."  
  
"I just hope _they_ know that!"  
  
Armando contiued his speech, ignoring Buffy and Xander. "Of course, the fan favorite for this   
tournament, as with all the others, is the man to my right, Diablos."  
  
Diablos was tall, and very muscular. Much more so then Armando himself. He stood. He had two   
large, light brown horns sticking out of the top of his head. He was colored red and gold. He   
had no hair on his, and his eyes were a deep red, with gold specks. He raised his clenched fist   
in the air, and the crowd went wild.  
  
Armando turned to Buffy. "Buffy Summers, just like every tournament Diablos has been in, you   
are looking at your new owner, DIABLOS!"  
  
Buffy put her head in her hands. Xander put his arm around her. "I'll beat him. I swear I   
will."  
  
------  
  
Willow, Riley, and Anya, all arrived at Joyce's house at a run, running up the porch to the   
door. Spike casually sauntered up the to the door, pulling his black shawl closer around his   
head and face so he wouldn't be in direct sunlight. Willow rang the doorbell and Giles   
answered.  
  
"Good timing," he said. "Joyce hasn't stopped worrying, I was about to go batty."  
  
"We got them," Willow said, gesturing to Spike and Anya.  
  
"Good, come on in. Including you Spike," Giles turned and walked inside.  
  
"Bloody watcher, sometimes I'd just like to.." Spike started.  
  
"Watch it, 'mate'," Riley said.  
  
Spike nodded and sauntered in with the rest. Joyce sat in the living room, drying her eyes   
with a kleenex.  
  
"We're here now, Mrs. Summers. Everything will be okay. We'll find out what happened to   
Buffy," Willow said, walking over to where Joyce sat on the couch and held her hand.  
  
"I hope so," Joyce said. She finally noticed Riley and Anya for the first time. "Have we met?"  
  
"No.... no time for formal introductions, but this is Riley Finn, and Anya," Giles said.  
  
"Hello," Riley said, waving.  
  
"Now, down to business," Giles said.  
  
"What exactly happened to our wonderful Slayer friend?" Spike asked.  
  
They all took seats around the living room. Spike sat next to Willow on the couch. Riley and   
Anya sat on the floor, and Giles sat in the easy chair. Giles spreads some of the books he   
recently got on the floor.  
  
"Some kind of gate pulled Buffy into the unknown. Xander went with her," Riley responded.  
  
"Did the gate have tentacles?"  
  
"Yeah," Willow said. "Red ones."  
  
"Oh goody. It's that time again," Spike said, grinning.  
  
"Time? What time?" Giles demanded.  
  
"You've never heard of it?" Spike asked, surprised.  
  
Everyone in the room shook his/her head.  
  
"I'm surprised. I figured at least the Watcher would've heard of it," Spike said. "It's just   
the most exciting tournament ever. Every year, some lucky individual is chosen as the prize   
for the winner of a bloody demon tournament. I guess this year's lucky soul was the Slayer."  
  
"That's awful!" Willow said.  
  
"Xander went with Buffy. He'll enter just to make sure she doesn't lose her soul," Anya said.  
  
"You've never seen these have you?"  
  
Anya shakes her head. "No, I haven't."  
  
"Xander doesn't stand a chance in hell... no pun intended, in this tournament. He'll be lucky   
to get past the first round. Buffy's soul is as... as good as gone," Spike's grin widened.  
  
"Oh no!" she cries somemore.  
  
"Nice going Spike," Anya said.  
  
Somebody knocks on the door. Willow gets up to go answer. "I swear, if it's a salesman, I'm   
going to..." she opened the door. "Angel!"  
  
Angel, Wesley, and Cordelia Chase stood on the porch. Angel is dressed in black, with his head   
covered from the sun. Wesley is dressed in a nice pair of khaki pants and shirt. Cordelia is   
wearing a short skirt, with a white shirt.  
  
"Hi Willow," Cordelia greeted.  
  
"Come in, come in," Willow said, stepping away from the door.  
  
The trio walk in.  
  
"We heard what happened to Buffy," Wesley said. "We came to help."  
  
"Any new ideas would glady be appreciated," Giles said.  
  
"I guess the thing we need to figure out most is how do we get to Hell to save her?" Cordelia   
suggested.  
  
"Wow, Cordelia actually had a good idea," Willow said.  
  
Cordelia gave her a dirty look.  
  
"Sorry, just trying to use some Xanderisms," Willow replied.  
  
"I've heard of these. During the tournaments, they close off Hell to all souls. No one gets in   
or out until the tournament is over," Angel said.  
  
"So we have to hope that Xander wins," Riley said.  
  
"Xander?!" Cordelia gasped in surprise. "My old Xander?! How did he get there."  
  
"It's a... It's a long story," Giles said.  
  
------  
  
Buffy and Xander were in some sort of locker room, demons of all types, shapes, and sizes are   
putting on their gear, or stretching, or working out, or practicing with a variety of different  
weaponry. Xander and Buffy sat over next to Xander's locker, where his clothes hung. Xander   
was wearing no shirt, with his wrists taped with white tape, and a pair of black and red   
boxing shorts on. He's wrapping tape around his ankle.  
  
"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Buffy asked. "You could get killed."  
  
"I really don't have any other choice," Xander said. "_We_ have no other choice." He wraps on   
ankle and tears the tape off with his teeth and starts on the other foot.  
  
"You don't have to do this Xander. Maybe we can talk to Armando, get him to send you home,"   
Buffy said.  
  
"I either win and we both go home, or I lose and neither of us goes home," Xander said with   
determination. Buffy is taken aback by his aggressiveness. He seemed ready for the tournament.   
He finished wrapping his other ankle and stands. "Besides," he continued with a grin. "I've   
been watching wrestling for years. No way I can lose."  
  
"Xander, there is a difference between professional wrestling and here. Pro wrestling is   
_fake!_"  
  
"I know, but I know enough of the moves to screw up royally and hurt someone severely," Xander   
said.  
  
"Do you really think you're going to be able to pick up one of these guys for a powerbomb or   
a piledriver?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Nah, those are power moves. I'll hit em with a hurricanrana and smash them on their head,"   
Xander replied.  
  
"DO you honestly think that these guys can't counter that?"  
  
"I'll have to hope I'm faster than they are."  
  
"For the lives of all of us, I hope so."  
  
A demon attendant poked his head into the dressing room. "Okay, Xander Harris and Iltheic,   
you're up first."  
  
"Here we go," Xander stood and looked down at Buffy. "Wish me luck."  
  
------  
  
The gang sat in the living room of Joyce's house. The atmosphere was one of anxiety. Angel was   
pacing. Spike just sat in a chair, watching him, and the rest. Giles, Riley, Cordelia, Wesley,   
Anya, and Willow were going through books, tried to find someway of breaching hell to get   
Buffy.  
  
"There has to be someway in," Angel said.  
  
"I already told you, the gates are closed," Spike said, annoyed.  
  
The TV suddenly activates. Cordelia looked over at it. "Guys..." Cordelia said.  
  
"Maybe if we break one open..." Giles suggested, not hearing her.  
  
"I can probably find a spell," Willow said.  
  
"Guys..." Cordelia tried again.  
  
"That just might work," Wesley said.  
  
"Hey guys!!!!" Cordelia shouted. The conversation stopped. They all look at her. "TV's on."  
  
The picture suddenly broke in, clearing the static. It showed a cavernous "arena," with   
various beings filling up the seats. The seats were all filled, a lot of the crowd was   
cheering. There were signs up for their favorite participant. The entrance way was a huge   
demon face, with it's mouth open, where the participants would emerge. There was an entrance   
ramp leading to the ring. In the ring, for this match, were bladed weapons of all sorts:   
swords, scythes, sickles, chainsaws, etc. A ring announcer stood in the ring. He was grey,   
with two small horns on the front of his bulbous head. He wore a black tuxedo, and held a   
microphone with a pentagram on it.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, it is time for the 666th demon tournament to begin!" he shouted.  
  
The crowd of demons and other monsters goes wild.   
  
------  
  
The Ring Announcer continues. "This first match is scheduled for one pinfall, submission, or   
death, and is a Bladed Weapons Death Match!"  
  
"Hell's Bells" by AC/DC blares throughout the cavernous arena, as ILTHEIC, a blue skinned   
demon, with white down his sides, stroad out onto the entrance ramp.   
  
"Introducing first, Iltheic!"  
  
He raised his sharp clawed arms into the air, and the crowd cheered. He scuffed the ramp with   
his boots and walked towards the ring.   
  
"I Will Survive" by Diana Ross plays and the crowd boos loudly as Xander walks out from the   
back and plays to the crowd. Buffy follows him.  
  
"And his opponent Xander," the ring announcer said quickly, with no enthusiasm.  
  
------  
  
In the Summers' living room, everyone sat with a shocked look on their faces.  
  
"Oh my god!" Anya said.  
  
"He's gonna get himself killed!" Cordelia said.  
  
"What's Buffy doing out there?" Riley asked.  
  
"Being the valet I suppose," Willow replied.  
  
He looked at Willow.  
  
"What? I watch wrestling!"  
  
------  
  
Xander climbs into the ring and picks up a broadsword. He looks at it as the bell rings.  
  
Xander grins. "Cool."  
  
Iltheic charges at the unsuspecting Xander.  
  
"Xander!" Buffy shouted from ringside.   
  
Xander spun around to face her, swing the sword as he spun. "What?!"  
  
Iltheic doesn't have time to stop or duck and the sword goes right through his head. His head   
rolls out of the ring. His body collapses to the mat. The crowd looks on in stunned disbelief   
at what just happened. Xander turns around and looks at the sword.  
  
"Oops."  
  
"Pin him! Pin him!" Buffy shouted, point at the dead demon.  
  
Xander stepped on Iltheic chest and gave the Chris Jericho pose. The referee counts a slow   
three count. The crowd boos as Xander jumps up and down. "I won! I won!"  
  
  
------  
  
Summer's living room. Everyone is cheering.  
  
"He won?!" Angel said in disbelief.  
  
"Way to go Xander!" Joyce shouted.  
  
"Talk about a surprise victory!" Willow said.  
  
Spike just stared at the TV, a look of disgust on his face. "That was a fluke if I ever saw   
one. He won't survive the second match."  
  
------  
  
Xander rolled out of the ring and took Buffy hand, and they both went backstage. When they   
reached the backstage area, she hugged him tightly.  
  
"Whoa, what was that for?" Xander asked.  
  
"For winning," Buffy replied.  
  
"Well, that was the first, and just like Goldberg, I don't plan on losing anytime in the near   
future," Xander said.  
  
"Good. You keep fighting like you did out there and you should do okay," Buffy replied.  
  
"Or I can run until my opponent is too tired to go on," Xander grinned and sat down on a   
bench. "Man, my feet hurt."  
  
Buffy smiles. "That too."  
  
"Right now I'm hungry, how do you get some food in this place?" he placed a hand on his   
stomach. "Decapitating people is hard work."  
  
------  
  
In the Summers' living room, they group watches the tournament as the matches begin to become   
more and more violent. Willow and Cordelia and Riley are sharing a bowl of popcorn. Spike is   
leaning against the wall.  
  
"Xander's second match is next," Anya said.  
  
"What kind is it?" Wesley asked.  
  
Angel looked up from the screen. "Exploding Turnbuckle Death Match."  
  
"Sounds painful," Cordelia said.  
  
Willow took a handfull of popcorn. "I bet it is. But I know Xander will win."  
  
"Don't get your hopes up Red. Only reason Xander won was a lucky swing. There won't be any   
beheading in this match, unless Xander's opponent decides to rip his head off," Spike said.  
  
"You aren't helping Spike," Angel growled.  
  
Spike shrugged. "I never intended to."  
  
------  
  
Buffy is spraying Xander down with a water bottle. He's sitting on a bench in front of a   
mirror.  
  
"You sure this will help ease the pain of a bomb?" Xander asked again.  
  
"It should, providing you stay away from the turnbuckles," Buffy said. "Otherwise, you're in   
for some pain."  
  
"Shouldn't be a problem," Xander said. "Wish I was Mick Foley."  
  
"Xander Harris, you're up," the attendant said.  
  
"It's showtime folks!" Xander stood. He strutted out of the locker room. The attendant gave   
him an evil grin.  
  
"Try not to die out there."  
  
"I'll do my best."  
  
------  
  
In the arena:  
  
"This is round 2 of the 666th demon tournament!" the ring announcer shoted. "This match is   
scheduled for pinfall, submission, or death, and is an Exploding Turnbuckle Death Match!   
Introducing first, he somehow managed to defeat Iltheic, Xander Harris!"  
  
"I Will Survive" plays and Xander walks to the ring with a purpose. The crowd boos him.  
  
"And his opponent, he is the fan favorite to win this tournament, he is DIABLOS!!!!"  
  
"Highway To Hell" by AC/DC plays and Diablos struts down the entrance ramp. The crowd begins   
cheering loudly. Diablos enters the ring and the bell rings. The two circle each other.  
  
"You were a fool, boy, to enter this tournament. You will die," Diablos taunted.  
  
"You have to catch me first," Xander shot back.  
  
Diablos charged, and Xander dodged, but Diablos grabbed him around the throat. He lifted them   
up until they were face to face. The crowd roared it's approval.  
  
"You die now!"  
  
He threw Xander into one of the explosive corners. The bombs went off, with such force that   
Xander flew into the opposite corner stomach first, and set off those bombs. Diablos got   
outside the ring and pulled a table from under it and set it against another corner. He   
pointed to it and the crowd roared. He picked Xander up and executed a running power bomb,   
throwing Xander through the table, and headfirst into the turnbuckles. They exploded. Xander   
slumped to the ground. Diablos picked up his limp body and placed him against the last   
unexploded corner. He then backed up to the opposite side and ran, body splashing Xander   
against the corner. He held him there as he took the full blast. The crowd was going crazy.   
Xander fell forward, not moving. Diablos rolled him over and placed a hand on his chest.  
  
The referee counted. "One! Two! Three!"  
  
The crowd roared as "Highway To Hell" started to play. Diablos spit on Xander's bleeding,   
broken form and left the ring. Ring attendance came out to get Xander backstage.  
  
------  
  
In the Summers' living room, the entire room gasps in shock and dismay at what just happened   
to Xander.  
  
"No! Xander!" Anya cried.  
  
"Oh no."  
  
"I knew he'd be killed sooner or later," Spike said with a grin. "What fun."  
  
"He's not dead Spike," Wesley said.  
  
"Well Buffy is," Spike said matter-of-factly.  
  
"We have to do something!" Riley said.  
  
"I agree with Riley. With Xander gone, we... we need to rescue her, or at least get someone   
else in that tournament that we know and trust and could win," Giles said, wiping sweat off   
his forehead.  
  
"Yeah, but who would be dumb enough?" Cordelia asked.  
  
Faith walked in through the front door. "I knew I'd find you here. What'd I miss?"  
  
------  
  
Xander was laying on the bench in the dressing room. Buffy was applying disinfectant and was   
stitching and bandaging the wounds herself.  
  
"I'm sorry Buffy, I really am," he said quietly.  
  
"There was nothing you could do. Diablos isn't like the other guy you faced," Buffy said,   
forcing back tears.  
  
"I don't know how you can be so calm. You're going to lose your soul now. And probably to that   
Diablos creep too."  
  
Another participant, The Scorpion, walked up to them. He's 5'7, with long black hair, and   
baggy, black pants, and black boots. He's wearing a sleeveless trenchcoat, and finger gloves.   
His eyes are a deep green, and he looks as though he were built for this tournament. His face   
is a face that has not shown emotion for many years.  
  
"This tournament isn't something a human, especially an untrained human, should enter," he   
said.  
  
"Gee thanks pal. It's not like I hadn't noticed that," Xander shot back.  
  
"You could have easily been killed. Diablos is not one to take lightly," Scorpion said,   
ignoring the comment.  
  
"Who are you anyway?" Buffy asked.  
  
"My name is The Scorpion."  
  
"I bet you already know me and Xander," Buffy said.  
  
"Quite. You caused quite a stir when you won the Bladed Weapons Death Match."  
  
"I got lucky."  
  
"It was a fluke," Scorpion said. "Even I know one when I see it."  
  
Xander sits up painfully. "Look pal, if you're just going to yell at me for entering, then   
buzz off. I already lost and Buffy's soul is already doomed."  
  
"I'm not going to chastise you. I just thought you'd like to know for future reference. Here,   
allow me to assist you in dressing these wounds."  
  
"Do you know how?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I have had many."  
  
------  
  
Willow finishes telling Faith what happened up to now in the Summers' living room. On the TV   
screen, two more demons go at in a Fire Cage Death Match.  
  
".... and then Xander just kind of... blew up."  
  
"Hmm. He's probably dead now," Faith said, munching on popcorn. "Got any butter?"  
  
"Don't say that!" Anya cried.  
  
"I tried to warn you not to get your hopes up. Even if Xander were trained, no human could   
survive in the demon tournament," Spike said.  
  
"Then how do we save Buffy?" Joyce whispered.  
  
"We don't. We just have to hope whoever wins has a kind heart," Faith said.  
  
She and Spike started to laugh.  
  
"There's an oxymoron if I ever heard it," Spike said. "A demon with a kind heart."  
  
"What's so funny?" Angel demanded.  
  
Faith settled back in an easy chair. "Buffy's doomed. Plain and simple."  
  
------  
  
The ring attendants carry a badly burned corpse through the locker room toward the incinerator   
in the back. Buffy shook her head and sat with her head in her hands. Xander put his arm   
around her.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I'm scared," Buffy said.  
  
"It's okay. It's okay. So am I," Xander said reassuringly.  
  
"But at least you'll get to go home!"  
  
Xander scoffs. "Right. I'll be thrown in as extra. Maybe I'll get to be the prize of the loser,   
for I am Xander, King of Losers. All lesser losers bow before me and kiss my loser feet,   
before I am overthrown by a wimpy loser."  
  
Buffy laughed. "You are not," she said. Scorpion walked past. Buffy watched him go. "What's he   
fighting in?" she asked.  
  
"Pit of Spikes Death Match I think," Xander said.  
  
------  
  
The demon tournament viewers in Joyce's house were appalled at what they were seeing on the   
screen. On a scaffold were two demons, and under them, a pit of razor sharp spikes, and they   
were trying to throw each other into the pit. One of them was almost thrown, but hung on.  
  
"This isn't going to be pretty," Willow said.  
  
"I'm not sure I want to watch this," Cordelia said, not taking her eyes off the screen.  
  
"This... this is barbaric, horrifying, sickening," Giles said.  
  
"Like it huh?" Riley asked.  
  
"Very," Giles replied.  
  
"Oh my god!" Angel cried when one of the demons gave another a standing somersault   
hurricanrana off the edge of the scaffolding and both of them fell into the pit.  
  
------  
  
"Holy shit!" Xander shouted as both Scorpion and his opponent plummeted. Scorpion hit first,   
but his opponent landed directly on one of the spikes, impaling himself on it, the spike going   
through his body. Scorpion's arm sliced down the top and side of the spike. He stood, shakily,   
holding his wound.  
  
"The winner, The Scorpon!" the ring announcer said.  
  
The crowd cheered and booed as Scorpion made his way to the back. As he passed Buffy and   
Xander he took his hand off his wound. It was pouring blood.  
  
"Wait a second!" Buffy said, stepping in front of him. "Demons don't bleed. You're human."  
  
"Get out of my way," Scorpion said.  
  
"Go ahead, push past me and let all your blood fall to the floor. You're human. You said no   
human should do this. Why do you?"  
  
"I have no other choice," Scorpion said. "I have to do this. It was part of the deal."  
  
"What deal?" Xander asked, walking up to Buffy and Scorpion.  
  
"Let me close this up, and then we talk," Scorpion said, walking over to his spot in the   
dressing room and getting ready to stitch close his wound.  
  
"Aren't you going to numb your arm first?" Buffy asked.  
  
"It's just a little pain," Scorpion said, as he began.  
  
Xander cringed. "Anyway, what deal?"  
  
"A long time ago, my wife's soul was chosen for the prize in this tournament. She was taken   
from me in the same way you were probably taken," Scorpion began, not looking up from the  
stitching. His would was deep, incredibly deep. It has probably sliced through some muscle.  
  
"A portal, a gate," Buffy said.  
  
Scorpion nodded. "I somehow, I'm not sure how, I really don't remember, but I broke through   
the closed seals to Hell. I tried to win her freedom, but was too weak. I was going to die   
until I made a deal with Armando: keep me alive, and I will participate in every tournament. I   
will be the one who makes it to the end, and never wins, or the guy who loses in the first   
round. I will have myself humiliated, I would sacrifice my dignity for eternity, just so my   
wife could go free. He accepted. He kept me alive, and I have fought ever since. I have no   
choice."  
  
Buffy looked into his eyes. They had a faraway look in them. "Scorpion?"  
  
"Huh? Sorry," he said. "Listen, I'm going to help you, one way or another, I will help you   
keep your soul and not end up like all the others."  
  
"That's nice of you, but how are you going to keep them from taking me?" Xander asked.  
  
"They don't want you," Scorpion said.  
  
"Gee, that's so nice."  
  
------  
  
"She's conversing with the other human, Armando," Quarnetes told him.  
  
"She must be trying to get him to win the tournament for her," Melini said.  
  
The four were seated around the table in the skybox. Below them the death matches continued.  
  
"What do you we do?" Decious asked.  
  
Armando leaned forward on his elbows. "We do nothing."  
  
"Nothing?!" Melini gasped.  
  
"We play by the rules like we have done for hundreds of years. If Scorpion somehow manages to   
win, then he wins. No questions asked. But Decious, to make sure he doesn't screw this up,   
tell Diablos that if Scorpion makes it to the finals, to have Diablos not just try to win, but   
to kill Scorpion."  
  
"But I thought you enjoyed humiliating him!" Decious said.  
  
"I would rather not give him the opportunity to humiliate me. But I cannot stop him. Only   
Diablos can."  
  
"Then it shall be done," Decious said.  
  
------  
  
Diablos lifted Slipher above his head. The little yellow demon kicked furiously, trying to get   
out of the bigger demon's grasp. He couldn't do it. Diablos threw him into the barbwire cage   
surrounding the ring and Silpher bounced off, ripping pieces of his skin off and it stuck on   
the barbwire. Diablos grinned as he picked up the demon again and executed the running power   
bomb right into the side of the barbwire cage. He picked Silpher up and dropped him throat   
first across the barbwire ropes. He presses down on his neck. Silpher screams and thrashes,   
trying to get away, but Diablos keeps on the pressure. Eventually he rips Silpher head clean   
off through the barbwire. The referee declares him the winner. The crowd screams.  
  
Diablos looks down at the demon. "You were pathetic."  
  
Buffy ran down to the ring and opened the door to the cage, which was the only thing not made   
of barbwire. She got inside and leaped on Diablos's back, running him straight into the cage.   
"This is for Xander you son of a bitch!" she screamed, punching him in the head. She dug her   
fingernails into his eyes.  
  
He staggered, but only from surprise. He turned around, and rammed Buffy backfirst into the   
cage. She screamed and let go. He pulled a bed of thumbtacks into the center of the ring and   
grabbed Buffy. "Stupid mortal! Did you really think you could get the best of me in _my_   
element?!" He set Buffy up for a power bomb and dropped her on her neck and back right into   
the bed of thumbtacks. She screamed and thrashed and rolled over, with thousands of thumbtacks   
stuck in her neck and back. He picked her up and rubbed her face against the cage. "I hope you   
enjoy this because when you become mine it will be a thousand times worse!" He picked her so   
she was face to face with him and licked some of the blood off of her forehead with a forked   
tongue. She was bleeding badly from various cuts on her face from the barbwire. Her white   
shirt was now red with her own blood. Her blond hair was now a pale red.  
  
Scorpion spun Diablos around and cracked a barbwire board over his head. He stumbled, again   
from surprise and Scorpion picked up Buffy and left. Diablos stood, and ran a hand over his   
bleeding head. "I'll see you in the finals Scorpion!"  
  
Scorpion turned, holding Buffy. "You'll pay Diablos! With your life!"  
  
------  
  
The entire living room in the Summers' living room was dead silent.  
  
"What the hell was she thinking?!" Riley said.  
  
"Well, I never knew our Slayer had it in her," Faith laughed. "I could've taken it and gotten   
back up."  
  
Willow looked at Faith with an angry expression. "If you don't shut the hell up you _will_   
take all that and we'll see if you _want_ to get up!"  
  
Faith shrank back in her seat and the room looked at Willow. "Willow, where was that all these  
years?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"Inside. Figures it'd come out now," Willow answered.  
  
"Please, please, let's not... not fight. We have more important things to worry about, like   
whether that man who got Buffy out of there is fighting for her now," Giles said.  
  
"You're lucky you got your friends behind you, or I would've killed you by now," Faith said,   
but her tone didn't make it sound believable.  
  
"Enough!" Angel said. "Giles is right, fighting gets us no where."  
  
"We aren't doing anything!" Anya said. "How do we know we can trust that guy?!"  
  
Spike shook his head. "Wondered what happened to him."  
  
"You know him?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Yeah. I attended one of those things a while ago. He never wins. It's part of some deal he   
made with Armando. He'll get all the way to the finals and be destroyed, but he won't die."  
  
"So Buffy's _still_ lost, either way?" Willow asked.  
  
"Pretty much," Spike answered.  
  
------  
  
"That was dumb Buffy, really dumb," Xander said as Scorpion shot Buffy up with morphine. She   
was sitting on a bench, her shirt off and beside her. Her back was covered in the golden   
tacks, making her back look like gold metal. She had some tacks in the back of her head. Her   
face was caked with dried blood.  
  
"I know, but you entering the tournament was dumb too," Buffy said. She tensed and then   
relaxed as Scorpion removed the syringe from her neck.  
  
"Yeah, but I didn't attack the biggest guy here while he had thumbtacks and barbwire at his   
disposal!"  
  
"Stop yelling! You're giving me a headache!"  
  
"I agree with Xander," Scorpion said. "It was dumb to attack Diablos in a Barbwire Cage  
Thumbtack Death Match." he started pulling the thumbtacks from her back with a pair of   
tweezers. Buffy inahled sharply each time.  
  
"When is that stuff supposed to work?" she asked.  
  
"Soon, soon," Scorpion applied some disinfectant to the places her had already removed the  
tacks. "Talk to me Buffy, it will keep your mind off the pain."  
  
"Why did you come and get me?"  
  
"Because Diablos would have killed you," Scorpion said.  
  
"That's not true. If I'm the prize, he doesn't get to kill me until after he wins."  
  
Scorpion sighed and pulled out more thumbtacks. There was a long silence before he said. "You   
remind me of my wife."  
  
"She does?" Xander asked.  
  
"Yes. She had blond hair, and was short too."  
  
Buffy weakly hit him on the knee. "Don't call me short! I'm 5'2! I'm not much shorter than   
you are!"  
  
Scorpion didn't grin as he pulled out thumbtacks. Buffy stopped inhaling sharply as the   
morphine took effect. "She was only an inch shorter."  
  
"I'm taller then you, but you could kick my ass. That is not a good thing," Xander said.  
  
"Give me five minutes, and chair."  
  
"Was that a joke?" Xander asked. "A joke from The Scorpion?"  
  
Scorpion didn't answer. He pulled out the last thumbtack and pressed some gauze against the   
oozing wounds. "Xander, holds these for me, while I tape them down." Xander pressed the gauze   
pads against her back and Scorpion applied medical tape to her back, holding the pads down.   
"There, that should stop the bleeding. Now, for her face."  
  
Buffy turned around and gingerly put her shirt back on. Scorpion picked up the stitching   
needle. "You will feel a little pressure. I'm only going to close the wounds that are deeper.   
The smaller ones seem to be healing nicely."  
  
"God, my mom is gonna freak when she sees me. I can already hear saying 'What did you do   
now?'"  
  
"She knows. She saw it. The chosen's family gets to watch. It's a form of torture to the   
family because the family can't do anything to stop it."  
  
"Oh no," Xander said.  
  
"That means they've been watching the entire time?!" Buffy asked.  
  
Scorpion nodded. "The entire time." Scorpion finished up and Buffy stood, and touched the  
visible stitching across her face.  
  
"I feel like Frankenstein."  
  
"Buffy, I want to talk to you," Armando said, walking up to her. He grabbed the collar of her   
shirt and pulled her to his eye level. "Don't you _ever_ attack another participant! Do you   
understand?!"  
  
"I will if I want to," Buffy said defiantly, looking him straight in the eye.  
  
"You do, and your friend Xander here will be killed by Diablos in the match of his choice. And   
even if you don't care about him, your only savior here will be disqualified and Diablos will   
win. So either way, your friends die and you become the prize, unless you act good and follow   
the rules. Got it?!"  
  
Buffy glanced at Xander and Scorpion. Scorpion stood. "Let her go Armando."  
  
"Not until she learns her lesson!"  
  
Scorpion punched him in the stomach, and Armando dropped Buffy. "I said let her go!"  
  
"You will pay for that Scorpion. You will pay. Now get out there for your match! It's time for   
Diablos to take this little one's life."  
  
Scorpion nodded, and pulled Buffy and Xander with him. "You're coming with me. Let's go."  
  
------  
  
"This is it," Spike said as the others watched the TV. "Hurry up with the refreshments   
Watcher, you don't want to miss the end of your career and the end of your precious Slayer's   
life!"  
  
------  
  
The arena was abuzz because there was an impressive structure standing over the ring. It was   
a three tiered cage, each cage with a different type of fencing. They crowd was awaiting the   
ultimate blood bath. The ring announcer stood in the ring. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the   
final match of the 666th demon tournament! And it is scheduled for a Three Cage Death Match!"  
  
The crowd went wild.  
  
"This match is the most dangerous match in the entire tournament, for the bottom cage will be   
set on fire. The second cage is made of barbwire, and the third is electrified. Each cage has   
it's own cache of weapons, and the only way to win is by killing your opponent, or retrieving   
the contract for Buffy's soul on the top of the third cage, 500 feet above the ramp way!!!"  
  
The crowd screamed louder.  
  
------  
  
Backstage, Scorpion stared in shock at the announcement.  
  
"I thought Armando never had you killed," Xander said.  
  
"He doesn't. He must not want me to win, so he set the rules to have it be by death," Scorpion   
replied.  
  
"Introducing first, THE SCORPION!" the ring announcer shouted.  
  
"The Thing I Hate" played and Scorpion, Buffy, and Xander stepped through the curtain.  
  
------  
  
"Wow, Buffy looks beat up," Cordelia commented as they watched Scorpion come to the ring with   
Buffy and Xander flanking him.  
  
"I just hope he wins," Riley said.  
  
"I want Xander back!" Anya said. "He better win or _I'll_ kill him!"  
  
"You won't get the chance love," Spike said. "This match is set for death only. He'll die if   
he loses."  
  
"Oh perfect," Angel said.  
  
------  
  
Scorpion and Diablos circled each other in the bottom ring. The cage around them was ablaze   
in a red fire. Inside the ring, the heat was almost unbearable.  
  
"I will kill you, you do know this," Diablos told him.  
  
"Try it pal. I don't fall easily!" Scorpion superkicked Diablos who bounced off the ropes.   
Scorpion gave him a moonlight bomb against the flaming cage, and Diablos fell back, his back   
smoking.  
  
Diablos stood and Scorpion speared him. The crowd was roaring. Scorpion picked Diablos up and   
set him up and gave him a piledriver. Scorpion got out of the ring and reached under it,   
removing a bed of thumbtacks. He slid it in the ring and got Diablos up again. He set him up   
for a piledriver, but Diablos lifted him up and slammed him forcefully onto the thumbtacks.   
On the entrance ramp outside the cage, Buffy screamed.  
  
Scorpion slowly got to his feet and Diablos slammed his head into the flaming cage, and held   
it there, letting the fire burn his face. Scorpion elbowed Diablos in the stomach and he fell   
away. Scorpion grabbed the chair out of the corner and clocked him with it. He got Diablos to   
his feet and dropkicked him. Diablos fell backwards and got wrapped in the ropes. Scorpion   
got one of the four ladders at ringside and set it up to move to the second, barbwire cage.   
He started to climb, but Diablos got untangled from the ropes and shoved the ladder over.   
Scorpion slammed into the flaming cage, and onto the concrete. Diablos got out of the ring   
and whipped Scorpion into the flaming cage wall. Diablos slid the bed of thumbtacks out of the   
ring and onto the floor where he powerbombed The Scorpion on the thumbtacks.  
  
Diablos left The Scorpion for dead and got the ladder set upright again. He started to climb.   
The Scorpion got up somehow and started to climb after him. He grabbed Diablos from behind and   
back suplexed him off the ladder, dropping Diablos on his head. Scorpion landed hard on his   
own neck and the two just laid on the mat. Scorpion was the first to move, but Diablos had the   
ropes and was already up. He picked Scorpion up and gave him a running powerbomb onto the   
ladder, driving it into the corner. Diablos grabbed two chairs and set them up, placing the  
ladder lengthwise across the two chairs. He put Scorpion on the turnbuckle and gave him a top   
rope power bomb onto the ladder, snapping it half!  
  
He leaned close to Scorpion. "How does it feel, knowing you will die and fail another, just   
like your whore of a wife?!"  
  
Scorpion kicked him in the crotch, and Diablos stumbled back.  
  
------  
  
"GO SCORPION GO!" Willow shouted at the TV.  
  
The entire living room was watching intently, cheering on the Scorpion. Anya clapped when   
Scorpion got to his feet and hit Diablos with half of the ladder. "Go!"  
  
"Kill him!" Wesley yelled. "Kill the son of a bitch!"  
  
------  
  
Scorpion slammed Diablos against the flaming cage. "How does it feel knowing you're going to   
lose Diablos?!" Scorpion yelled at him, as he ground his face against the flames.  
  
Buffy stepped close and spit in his face. Diablos turned and Scorpion superkicked him again.   
He climbed to the top rope and gave Diablos a corkscrew hurricanrana over the top to the   
floor. Scorpion retrieved another ladder and set it up and began to climb. Diablos stood and   
climbed after him but Scorpion pushed the ladder over with his foot and Diablos crashed into   
the already bloody bed of thumbtacks. Scorpion stood in the barbwire cage, and caught his   
breath. He looked up at the contract, still high above his head.  
  
"Scorpion!" Xander called from down below. "Behind you!"  
  
Scorpion turned, only to have a barbwire brick smashed over his head. The brick broke in two   
and Scorpion saw stars. Diablos picked him up and rammed him into the barbwire on the side of   
the cage. He set up a barbwire board and gave Scorpion the Power Bomb onto the board. Scorpion  
rolled to the side in pain, barbwire pulling off pieces of his skin. Diablos raked Scorpion's   
face against the cage. Scorpion's face was red, his hair half black, half blood red. Scorpion   
back heel kicked Diablos and gave him a choke slam power bomb onto the barbwire board. He   
placed another barbwire board on top, and somersault splashed the board. He laid there for a   
second and wiped the blood from his forehead.  
  
------  
  
"That had to... had to hurt," Giles said. "This is a classic contest."  
  
"You mean a good match right?" Joyce asked.  
  
"So... so far, yes," Giles said. "Go Scorpion go!"  
  
------  
  
Scorpion hit Diablos with the barbwire baseball bat as he stood, knocking him down and busting   
him open. Scorpion locked on the scorpion deathlock. "How's the pain feel?! Huh?! You like   
this don't you?!"  
  
Diablos growled and pushed Scorpion off of him, and Scorpion flew into the wall of the second   
cage, going through it and onto the top of the fire cage. Diablos walked out onto the top of   
the fire cage with a strand of barbwire and locked it around Scorpion's throat. "How does the   
pain feel Scorpion?! Do you enjoy it as much as I do?!"  
  
Scorpion gasped and choked, his neck being ripped open by the barbwire.  
  
Buffy and Xander looked on in horror. "Do you think he can do it?" Xander asked.  
  
"He has to!" Buffy said.  
  
Diablos removed the barbwire from Scorpion's neck and let his head bounce off the cage.   
Scorpion lay on the cage, panting, blood pouring from his neck. Diablos wrapped the barbwire   
around his wrist and punched The Scorpion in the face. He ripped a huge gash in his forehead.   
Diablos went back into the cage and pulled a c4 rigged barbwire table onto the cage. He set   
the table up and was going to power bomb Scorpion through the table, but he countered with a   
backdrop onto the cage. Scorpion fell foward and rested on the table. He pushed off and   
climbed to the top of the barbwire cage. Diablos grabbed his foot and Scorpion kicked, but   
Diablos threw him off. Scorpion crashed onto the piece of barbwire cage that he had been   
thrown through. Diablos climbed to top of the electrified cage, and Scorpion was close behind.  
Diablos set up and locked the ladder into place under the contract. He punched Scorpion again   
with his barbwire wrapped fist and pulled his bloody face to his own. "Now you die!"  
  
He set Scorpion up for the Power Bomb. Scorpion was about to fall 150 feet to the c4 rigged   
barbwire table. Buffy closed her eyes.  
  
------  
  
In the Summers' living room everyone watched, silent. Spike had a smirk on his face. He knew   
if Diablos hit the Power Bomb through the c4 rigged barbwire table it was over.  
  
------  
  
Diablos lifted Scorpion up for the Power Bomb, but Scorpion reversed it with a hurricanrana.   
He released, and Diablos fell all the way onto the table that was still on the flaming cage!   
The table exploded. Scorpion landed on top of the barbwire cage. The crowd roared. Buffy   
screamed in joy.  
  
------  
  
"Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit!" Riley, Wesley, Faith and Willow chanted.  
  
Spike looked on in shock.  
  
Giles stood. "Go Scorpion! Retrieve the contract! Go!"  
  
------  
  
Scorpion climbed the side of the cage slowly. Below, Diablos was slowly getting back to his   
feet. Scorpion started the climb on the twenty foot ladder under the contract. Diablos was   
already climbing the barbwire cage.  
  
"Hurry Scorpion!" Buffy called out.  
  
Scorpion's foot slipped and he fell onto the ladder rung. He pulled his leg out, but it   
looked like he twisted it. His climb was slow. Diablos got to the top of the electrified cage,   
and retrieved a stun gun from the cage. He climbed the opposite side of the ladder. They both   
reached the top at the same time, and Diablos hit Scorpion with the stun gun, before pressing   
it against his throat and zapping him with full power. Scorpion fell backward, his legs   
hooking onto the ladder. Scorpion and the ladder tumbled off the cage! Diablos jumped off and   
landed on the electrified cage.  
  
To Buffy, the ladder and Scorpion fell in slow motion. He got his feet untangled from the   
rungs, but it was too late to save himself. Scorpion smashed into the concrete walkway   
backfirst, the ladder landing on him. The force of the impact left a huge man shaped crater in   
the concrete. Scorpion's head lolled to one side and he didn't move.  
  
------  
  
A silence had fallen over the Summers' house. Everyone looked on in shock.  
  
"I... I knew he would lose, but I didn't think he would... die," Spike said softly.  
  
"My god..." Giles said.  
  
"Did we... did we just see a man die?" Anya asked.  
  
"At least he died quickly," Angel said.  
  
"What about Buffy?" Riley asked. "What'll happen to here?!"  
  
"I don't know," Joyce said. "I just don't know."  
  
------  
  
"Ring the bell!" Diablos shouted from the top of the Triple Cage. He roared and posed, and the   
crowd roared back. The bell rang. Diablos had won.  
  
Buffy buried her head in Xander's shoulder, crying. "I don't want to lose my soul Xander!"  
  
"I know Buffy, I know," Xander said, stroking her hair.  
  
"I just want to go home," Buffy sobbed. "I don't want to be here anymore. Too much has already   
happened. I just want to go home."  
  
Scorpion moved. He raised his hand and pushed the ladder off of him. The crowd suddenly went   
dead silent. Buffy looked to see what was going on. Scorpion stood, shakily. He pointed at   
Diablos. "You aren't going to get rid of me that easily!"  
  
Diablos looked on in shock. Scorpion scaled the 500 feet of cages quickly, despite the   
beating. He got up top and Diablos swung, but Scorpion ducked and kicked Diablos hard in the   
groin. He double underhooked him, one arm at a time. "This is for Xander and myself!" he   
jumped, and drove Diablos's face into the electrified cage. They both went through the cage   
and through the barbwire cage, and through the fire cage, and through the mat! The crowd   
roared. A huge explosion and fire ball shot up through the huge hole in the mat. Scorpion   
climbed out. "And that was for Buffy."  
  
The crowd cheered. The bell rang. Diablos was dead.  
  
"The winner of the match, and Buffy's soul, THE SCORPION!" the ring announcer shouted.  
  
Scorpion got out of the cage, and fell to his knees on the ramp, breathing heavily. Buffy and   
Xander ran up to him. "You did it!" Buffy cried, hugging him.  
  
"What gave you the second wind?" Xander asked.  
  
"Buffy reminds me of my late wife. She said the same thing," Scorpion said, standing.  
  
------  
  
"HE WON! HE WON! HE WON!" Willow shouted, jumping up and down.  
  
"Buffy's safe!" Riley echoed.  
  
"And Xander's coming home!" Anya added.  
  
------  
  
Armando approached Scorpion, Buffy and Xander. "Well Scorpion, congratulations. I must say   
that was a terrific match."  
  
"Thank you," Scorpion said.  
  
"Scorpion, I am a fair man. I may have threatened Buffy, and you may have attacked me, but I   
live by the rules of this tournament. Buffy's soul is yours. What will do with it?"  
  
"I'm setting her free and sending her home," Scorpion said.  
  
Amrando didn't look surprised. "Okay then." The same portal that brought here was created   
again. Armando shook Scorpion's hand and left.  
  
"Come with us Scorpion," Buffy said.  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Yes you can. You said it yourself that you don't want to be here. Here's your chance to   
finally escape!"  
  
"I... I'd never survive in the world today."  
  
"You survived a 500 foot fall onto concrete," Xander said. "You can survive today. And we   
could always use more help."  
  
"I suppose you're right," Scorpion said. "Okay, I'll go!"  
  
Xander jumped through first. Buffy second. Scorpion took one more look around his former home   
and dove in too.  
  
------  
  
The TV screen went to static. "So that's it?!" Wesley asked.  
  
"That's it," Giles said, turning off the set.  
  
"So where are they?" Faith asked.  
  
Three thumps on the porch answered that question. Joyce opened the door and immedietly   
gathered Buffy in her arms.  
  
"Mom!"  
  
"Oh, Buffy, I was so worried!"  
  
"Xander!"  
  
"Anya!"  
  
The two hugged. Scorpion smiled at the reunion, and turned to look into the sky. Riley's hand   
fell on his shoulder. "Thank you."  
  
Scorpion turned. "No problem, but I must be going."  
  
"Where are you going to go?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"Out there, to find a new life for an extreme human who has just gone from hell back to Earth.   
I'm sure I'll find something." Scorpion stepped down the porch steps and walked off.  
  
"Do you think he'll be able to survive in our world?" Angel asked.  
  
"After seeing what he just did? I don't doubt it," Faith replied.  
  
THE END. 


End file.
